


Surprise

by macgyversheriff



Category: MacGyver (TV 2016)
Genre: Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-11
Updated: 2021-01-11
Packaged: 2021-03-15 04:56:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,455
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28682916
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/macgyversheriff/pseuds/macgyversheriff
Summary: When Mac meets Elie, he starts to worry that perhaps the Phoenix is using him for means out of his control. So naturally he complains to his long term boyfriend, who steps in for a little chat.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 6





	Surprise

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Pigeonsplotinsecrecy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pigeonsplotinsecrecy/gifts).



> NOT me being 2 weeks late with my christmas present for Elise omg  
> anyways i LOVE you i ADORE you you always make my weeks better. thank you SO much for being my friend and i hope you accept this dainty little fic as a gift because i am quite literally not worthy and i'm not sure if this is either (puppy face)

A quick run on the situation is that 4 years ago when the Phoenix disbanded, Mac was in a coffee shop when he met the most beautiful man in the _entire_ universe- obviously, as luck would have it- and he had just broken up with Desi, and of course this guy was a totally life changing guy. Jasper Sheriff had a big heart, and good intentions, and with some other friends Mac made through him, he got his life together pretty fast, and also landed Jasper Sheriff as his loving, caring, ex-operative, now influencer boyfriend who owns and runs… well Mac isn’t sure if it’s _one_ big company or a conglomeration of companies. Mac, upon going back to Phoenix (to Jasper’s protesting) learned pretty quickly that Jasper and Russ Taylor had beef, and that him and the team weren’t half as close. So naturally he just chose not to tell them, and ultimately forgot they didn’t know and sucked it up as Desi and Riley warred for the affections of his already taken heart.

So now, 4 years later, Jasper had bought them a beautiful brick, European style house that was covered in lush gardens, and had a staff of about 4 people who typically helped while Jasper and him worked. They had 3 dogs, and expensive couches, and Mac had started to learn how to cook so they could take turns preparing their meals. It was a good life, and an easy one when Mac got to be home, and got to wake up with Jasper, and got to be home to run with the dogs in the morning, and catch brunch with friends. It was nice to come home to small dinner parties, and to expensive cuts of meat being barbecued. Or to spend the evening in the pool and have some wine.

He didn’t have a _bad_ life.

And Jasper had helped him get the help he needed after codex. Guided him to therapy, healing practices, the whole thing. He was big on that stuff.

So naturally, when Mac gets to Phoenix from helping Desi with her… family issues, as a friend, solely a friend, and finds a child there in the lab… well he has to text Jasper. Watching this child work with Russ and Matty, watch them pay _extra_ close attention to him. He just feels like they’re preparing him to crash and burn the way Mac has since he was 18, the way the world turned on him, chewed him out. The way he was so alone until he had Jasper who helped him find a purpose outside of his job.

He doesn’t want this kid to feel alone, like he can’t talk to anyone, can’t ever be happy.

_Russ adopted a kid?_

_W h a t_

_Details to come, we’ll talk about it at home_

_Okay… are you doing okay?_

_I’m doing okay. Just worried about him_

_Maybe I should come just inspect the situation_

_Oh I don’t want to rile anyone_

_Don’t worry, just play along._

Mac doesn’t bother to say anything else, Riley bumping into him before looking up surprised. They both stare at each other for a minute before he looks back into the lab. “There’s a new recruit. He’s 16.”

She nods. “Are you jealous or something?” she teases.

“No… but we’ve never recruited someone that young, so maybe things are about to change.”

“And is change bad?”

“Depends… depends on what is being expected of someone so young.”

“Don’t be cynical,” Riley scolds, and Mac nods, walking into the room with Riley. The kid looks up curiously at them and they both smile.

“This is our new recruit,” Desi says unamused, hope sparkling in her eyes as Mac walks in towards her. He offers an awkward smile, and every time he thinks to just admit he’s taken, he’s choked up by the amount of trust he’s lost with his team, the distance that’s broken between them. He doesn’t feel like he can trust him with the most personal part of him, the best part of him. The only good thing he really has left. They’ve already taken so much. “He’s 16.”

Mac nods, smiling softly at him. “I was 16 when I went to MIT,” he tells the kid who looks interested.

“You went to _MIT_ at 16? That’s so crazy, I mean I’m still in high school.”

Mac laughs. “Well, this is a pretty special opportunity to have in high school, and that means you’re probably a pretty special kid.”

“Just really smart, and I want to be really rich.”

Mac nods. “Admirable,” he says. “I probably should’ve went that rout, but my boyfriend always says I like bureaucratic business too often.”

“Boyfriend?” Matty asks.

“What’s wrong with him having a boyfriend?” The kid asks. “I bet that’s cool. Is he like an artist or something?”

“Actually he’s really rich, and don’t worry, I just don’t talk about him a lot at work,” Mac says.

“Oh, he’s a ‘boyfriend’ right?” the kid whispers and Mac laughs.

“No, he’s really my boyfriend, and he’s appropriately aged. He got really lucky in his area of life.”

“Which is…?”

“It’s easier to say what it _isn’t_? He’s kind of an everything person.”

“But you like science?”

“I love it. I think it’s one of the coolest things in the whole world. I’m Macgyver by the way, but everyone calls me Mac.”

He grins, taking his hand and shaking enthusiastically. “Elie. I was told a lot about you, they say I remind them a lot of you.”

Mac laughs. “Well, between you and me, no two minds are a like. I’m really good at making things on the spot, that doesn’t mean you have to be good at that too. It doesn’t mean that you have to be like me, but if I can help at all… I would-“

“Hold on, can we loop back to your boyfriend?” Russ asks. “ _Who_ is your boyfriend? Rich, around your age-“

“On his way, doesn’t like you much hence why I didn’t say-“

“ _No_.”

“Yeah sorry…”

“Do they know each other?” Elie asks.

“Complicated history,” Mac offers.

“You know, I think I’m just going to take a walk to the bathroom and let you guys figure this out.”

They nod and everyone turns to Mac, who raises a brow at Russ. “Jasper doesn’t like you very much so I figured you probably didn’t like him back, and when you didn’t know when you tried to kidnap me on campus-“

“You were dating when we met? How long have you been dating?” Russ presses.

“We met 4 or 5 months after I broke up with Desi,” he admits, wincing as he sees Desi _and_ Riley’s faces fall. “It’s been about 4 years now. We own a house together- and before you ask, he’s completely resigned from ops and he’s more concerned about magazine covers than he is about what you’re doing. But yes he does know about you almost killing me with a missile and yes I was getting therapy in Italy during my 3 month PTO after codex.”

“He took you to Italy?” Bozer asks. “For _therapy_?”

“He thinks the ocean in Italy has very… healing properties? Or something?”

“And you believed him?” Desi steps in.

“Well, I wasn’t going to deny a chance to be in Amalfi Italy for 3 months by the ocean. So yeah. I did believe him, and I felt much better afterwards!”

Russ sighs. “So when exactly were you going to mention this?”

“Well you wouldn’t care if he was someone else. And if he does ever pass by- maybe even today possibly- I don’t think he’d be here to criticize you because he loves me a lot and he wouldn’t do that to me. He would behave. And if he were, just perhaps if he were to pass by today or ever, you would also behave because I think you like me… or at the very least need me on your team.”

Russ and Matty squint at him and Mac feels something twisting in his gut at this, something close to guilt and something close to feeling sick. The two nod, and before they could say anything, Mac’s phone buzzes and he picks it up.

“Is that him?” Matty asks.

“I don’t know, I haven’t checked yet. Anyways, he hasn’t gotten in the way of my work and it’s not like I have put you in the position of some ultimatum. And if you put _me_ in some kind of ultimatum, well, Jasper will probably just hire me in any position I desire in Zeus and we’ll probably move to Paris.”

“So- I’m confused,” Desi says after a moment. “You were serious about just wanting to be friends?”

“Well yeah… I said that multiple times.”

“I thought you were leading me on.”

“Mmm no, I have a serious boyfriend and a nice house. And I guess now that you guys know, I mean it’s probably appropriate to invite you for dinner to meet him properly? And see the house?”

“How nice is the house?” Bozer queries. “Like… _nice_ nice?

“Yeah, it’s really nice.”

They all nod, and Elie returns, everyone getting quiet.

“We should get back to training,” Russ says and Mac nods, smiling.

“I’ll be across the lab if he becomes unbearable,” Mac taunts, rolling his eyes at Russ and Elie laughs.

Russ practically checks Jasper at the door, Jasper stopping mid step with the coffee he had in hand. “Wow, I’ve never seen you move so fast,” Jasper says. “Well no worries for you, I’m not here to patronize you no matter how badly I want to.”

“Then why _are_ you here?”

“I just want to give Mac some coffee. Surely you know we’re dating right? Because you’re a changed man who doesn’t run toxic environments anymore and has no reason that I’d ever have to land you on the interpol court system again?”

Jasper gives a sweet smile and Russ feels like he’s going to give out. “I cannot believe you’re going to walk in here-“

“Listen you and I both know there is a kid in there that may be experiencing something out of his realm. You may have been a psy ops… _agent_ and I use that term very loosely here-“

“To think you were going to give me any credit-“

“Shut _up_ will you? I have the expertise to help someone. You’re a manipulator and your background is maneuvering the ground in your favor with money and gaslighting. But we both know that I’m more sympathetic than that. And before you say it, I’m not trying to take him from you.”

“Why? You don’t’ want another genius on your hands?”

“No, because as much as this pains me to say, and this is overlooking the codex crisis, I think you are trying to be… good for once. Why or what the motive is? I don’t know. Maybe you’re just an old man who wants to finally get into heaven-“

“I’m not that old- how old do you think I am?”

“Reasonably, any younger woman beside you would look like your sugar baby. Now we are going to go in there and you are going to behave because so help me _God_ if you upset _my angel_ , I’m going to kick your ass six ways to Sunday _and_ put a bullet in you for fun. Do you understand?”

“I understand,” Russ mutters. On a technicality of sorts, Jasper is one of the ultimate superiors of ops. Some called him a superior ruling power, Jasper seemed to view himself as a normal person who occasionally gave out vintage ruler smacking on the wrist to bad operatives. (Well… Russ had been on the court end of Jasper and that was much more than a ruler smacking. He’d seen corrupt operatives get their reputations burned to ashes. But against his will, he was forced to admit that in the grand scheme of things, Jasper was quite sweet and empathetic, and that was where Russ fell down hardest. He was the opposite, and with someone as sweet as Jasper who was able to coax villains into rehabilitation and hold power accountable… well, he had the right to be shaking.)

They walk in and Russ leads Jasper to the lab where the team was and where Matty was helping Elie adjust. Mac is busy on a tablet, scribbling away in an e-notebook with his glasses on and his mind working. Jasper as he walks into the lab looks up at the door hinges with judgement and he seems to be inspecting all the floors, all the walls. He makes a bit of a face at the chemical smell, and glances around.

“I thought we were going to a lab,” Jasper says, looking at baren metal tables and the dimmish room. There were lights about and hiding lab equipment but it wasn’t full of techs and scientists and life, it didn’t have experiments going the way Jasper’s own labs did at all times, filled to the brim with an _éclat fou_ as he’d call it in French. “Is this the lab?”

“This is the lab,” Russ says resigned, Mac not even looking up.

“Don’t be mean, Jessi,” Mac says.

“I’m not, I’m just saying,” he says going to put Mac’s coffee down and kissing his head with a practiced affection. Mac smiles, and keeps writing in the notebook.

“ _This_ is your boyfriend?” Desi asks as she walks back in, eyes widening at the gorgeous, tall and handsome man in front of her. He had a full face of dark facial hair, gorgeous wavy hair that was cut perfectly and fell into his deep brown eyes just right.

“Yeah, he looks _extra_ good today,” Mac says, not once glancing up, smart pen going to his lips as he thinks.

“How do you know? You haven’t looked up,” Jasper says, amused by this.

“Well I saw you this morning.”

“How do you know I didn’t change?”

Mac squints for a moment before looking up and over to see Jasper _had_ changed from that silky shirt that hung off him perfectly to a pink pin stripe button up with a cat stitched into the right breast. It was because Jasper this morning felt the ice blue silk shirt made him look like he was _greying_. Mac had found it very ridiculous because Jasper didn’t have a single grey hair and looked younger than most other 30 year olds that they knew.

“Ridiculousness,” he whispers and Jasper raises a brow.

“it was true.”

“It was stupid.”

Jasper rolls his eyes but Mac smiles warmly at him, ignoring the way everyone was staring at them. “So,” Jasper says looking over at everyone. “You’re Desi, Riley, Bozer… but who are you. You look a little _young_ to be working at a place like this.”

Elie looks at Jasper curiously. “Uh yeah- well Matty and Russ said I could work here after school. I’m guessing you’re the… boyfriend that Mac told us about. Kinda funny that you’re here… now.”

Jasper nods. “Yeah I guess it is kind of funny, you’re pretty smart I’m guessing to work in a place like this.”

“Huh… are they… in trouble?”

“No trouble,” Jasper says calmly. “Just thought I’d check in. Russ definitely has _nothing_ to hide, right?”

“This was Matty’s idea,” Russ says as if he’s convinced Jasper of something.

“Oh yes and she _definitely_ has nothing to hide,” Jasper says, raising a brow at the two of them. “So, tiny child-“

“I’m 17-“

“Still a child.”

“I’m basically a legal adult.”

“Trust me, the second shit gets real, you’re really going to regret that statement.”

“I’m going to be _so_ rich that I won’t have to worry about anything.”

“Oh sure, so tax documents, charity work, business practices, budgeting for areas of both life and business, high income bank accounts- you have that all figured out right? You know how to contact bursar people, accountants…?”

“You’re saying a lot of words… do I really have to know all of that?”

“If you’re aiming to generate a _wealth_ and not a short lived richness, than yes. I mean do you even know anything about _property_?”

“I’m a scientist, what do I need to know about property?”

“Well you know you have to distribute your wealth somehow- _right_?”

“Nobodies ever told me these things.”

“Okay sure, so you do have to worry about something if you want to be rich longer than ten years. You have to know how to manage your estate.”

“You have so much knowledge,” Elie whispers in awe and Jasper laughs.

“Sure, and what I don’t have Mac does. You should totally pick his brain sometimes, the amount of shit he knows is kind of crazy.”

“Yeah, so I’ve heard. He said you’re like _super_ rich.”

“Okay, I didn’t say _that_ ,” Mac says. Jasper laughs.

“Yeah well, you’ll get there if you do it right. Hey, have you gotten a tour of the building yet?”

“Oh uh- yeah but I don’t know it very well.”

“Well the best way to learn, I heard, is to teach. So why don’t’ you and me take a little walk together?”

“Are you sure I’m not in trouble?”

Jasper laughs, giving his star striking smile- it made _everyone_ look, everyone seem awestruck. Elie seemed to trust him almost instantly as Jasper smiled so gently. “No,” he promises, gently gesturing towards the door. They walk out together, and everyone looks to Mac.

“So what is he really here for?” Russ asks.

Mac shrugs. “I never had an outlet or someone to talk to. Jasper is a licensed therapist and social worker, _especially_ in the field. If you guys are preparing him to work here, and perhaps become an operative, I want him to at least have a place to go or someone he can talk to.”

They seem to tense a bit, uncomfortable at the confrontation of emotions. Matty seems a bit guilty for a minute, taking a deep breath.

“Well, what exactly do you hope to find?” she asks.

“Nothing. I just want him to have someone to talk to. Is that so bad?”

“What is there to _talk_ about?”

“I talk to my therapist more about my cycling class than I do my job sometimes. I talk about anything. That’s like _enough_ , it gets things off your mind, off your chest, it provides you with advice. If something is bothering him, if he’s lost or confused… he… well he _has_ someone. He deserves that much.”

Jasper and Elie are walking the halls, Elie awkwardly beside him. Jasper waits for him to crack though, he _wants_ him to talk first, to open up.

“Am I supposed to say something?” he cracks after they wander into an empty office.

“If you want,” Jasper says, smiling.

“So… are you _sure_ Mr. Taylor isn’t in trouble? Mac said you don’t like him much.”

“I don’t but that’s because of something wayyy over your head. And it was a long time ago now.”

“Do you like him now?”

“No, I’m good at holding a grudge. Runs in my blood.”

Elie laughs. “Huh… well… I think he’s nice so far. Matty scares me though.”

“Yeah?”

“She’s kind of like… I don’t know, she’s intense.”

“She has a reputation for that sort of thing. But I bet she has your best interest in mind.”

“And if they don’t?”

“Are you worried that they might not?”

“Well… I mean… I don’t really know. They saved me from some really bad guys. They wanted to kill me for a burner phone.”

Jasper nods, looking over at him. “I’ve been in a few crazy situations myself,” he admits. “It’s hard going through something like that. Makes trusting new people really hard because you don’t know if they want to hurt you.”

“Hey, that’s like _exactly_ how I feel! Do you read minds or something?”

“No, I just do a lot of yoga.”

“Oh right, because you’re rich.”

“Right. You know, makes you think a lot about things and feelings.”

“Wait so… you’ve almost been killed before?”

“Yeah but you know, the trick to outsmarting a villain is being _so_ crazy that they don’t know what to do with you.”

“ _what_?”

Jasper nods. “Really works when you freak _them_ out. It’s my go to trick. So these guys, did they hurt you in any way? Got any cool scars?”

He laughs. “I mean… they didn’t really hurt me, just held me at gun point. I guess I have no cool scars to show off for it.”

Jasper nods. “Well, sometimes cool scars _suck_ to keep up. That’s why you get tattoos, but not until you’re 18 or have a good income. _Never_ let your friends tattoo you.”

“Do you have any?”

“Scars or tattoos?”

“Scars.”

“Sure, once I was electrocuted, I have a Lichtenburg figure up my back.”

Elie grasps.

“Seriously?”

Jasper nods. “Yeah, you can see it all over my back.”

“That’s _so_ cool! I bet you have tattoos _too_.”

Jasper rolls up his sleeve and shows him the flower tattoo on his wrist and Elie laughs. “That’s kind of lame,” he says and Jasper nods.

“Yeah well, teenage boys always think flowers are lame. But one day you’ll want a girl to bring you flowers too. They make things better.”

“What if they _are_ bad people- I mean, they seemed to know how to get out of that situation… well sort of. I think. Is this what they do? Stop bad people?”

Jasper shrugs. “You know, it’s a complicated thing… the things that happen in here will maybe trouble you, maybe you’ll end up in a situation that could be dangerous. But you know, I know that everyone here will always protect you. Do anything to make sure you don’t get hurt.”

“Could I get hurt?”

“I’d like to think working in a lab, you would never get hurt.”

“But…”

“Life is full of unexpected adventures.”

“So what if I wanted to leave?”

Jasper takes out his wallet and flicks out one of the cards he always keeps on him. “My line is open any time, and Mac… he’s a great guy. He’d help you any time.”

“So… are you like his boss or something? Because Mr. Taylor is like _so_ old.”

“It’s complicated,” Jasper excuses. “Listen, anyone pulls anything, come crying to me. Okay? And from one rich guy to a future rich guy, don’t get tangled up in bad business. That heart and soul that you have, that’s the best thing you _can_ have. Don’t lose sight of Elie, is my best advice for you.”

He smiles. “Thanks… Hey, any tips on how to stay on Mac’s good side? Everyone says he’s kind of tricky.”

“Bring him coffee around 4 pm and he’ll never dislike you. Any kind will do, caffeine is his best friend, to be quite honest. And, if he offers you help, don’t turn him down to quickly. I know he’s a little nuts but under all the nuttiness is… you know, some good stuff.”

“Thanks,” he says smiling at Jasper. The two walk around the rest of the building, just talk about Elie’s interests and what he likes to do.

They re-enter the lab, Elie excitedly talking to Jasper who smiles, fully invested in his conversation. Matty and Russ look at him with shock, and the team looks at him in dismay. It took him about 45 minutes to completely win over a child the rest of the team has been at a stand still with _all evening_. He was snarky to Desi, he was bored of Matty, Russ hardly got a smile. But Jasper had this boys heart in his hand as they spoke.

“Well, I think I have to hand you back over to Russ,” Jasper says and he nods.

“Are you going to visit again?” Elie asks.

“I have no idea, I’m going to have a crazy busy few weeks. But you have my number and email. Reach out anytime.”

He nods, grinning. “Thank you. I totally will.”

Jasper smiles, and Mac smiles at the two, seeming completely charmed. “I’ll walk jasper out,” Mac says.

“You can head home, blondie,” Matty says. “We don’t need you for the rest of the night.”

He nods, and he nudges Jasper who takes him under his arm, kissing his head. “Get a lot done?”

“Major break throughs are being made,” he informs, taking his glasses off. Desi squints at him and Jasper raises a brow before stopping.

“You know, why don’t you all come on Sunday for dinner? You’ve never been to the house. It would be nice.”

They all look to Mac who’s slipping on his coat and nodding. “Yeah, why don’t you? And Elie, if you want to come you can bring your parents. I think it would be nice, for all of us to reconnect a little.”

“Sure,” Riley steps up to say. “We’ll be there for Sunday dinner.”

Mac nods smiling. “Okay, good. So… we’ll see you Sunday.”

They smile. Mac had taken an uber that morning, so he doesn’t have anything but his house keys on him, and he pockets his phone and grabs his laptop bag. He bids everyone goodbye, walking out with Jasper. They don’t talk until they get into the car.

“So… how did it go? I mean obviously well but… is he okay?”

“He expressed some concerns, and I tried to console him. It seems there was a serious scuffle during that recruitment.”

“Yeah, Russ mentioned something about Mason?”

“I’ll look into it, but… he’s going to be okay. He’s a good kid, and he knows he has a place with us if he needs him, and I told him to look to you for anything he needs.”

“I don’t want Russ to think anything of that,” Mac says, and Jasper nods, neither noticing Russ spying on them from the doors. “They already seemed to think that this was some sort of attack.”

“They always think that. Ever since you guys rebanded, I mean it’s been bad news for you. I mean seriously, you know you’d never have to work another day in your life you wanted to right? Or I could give you a job or involve you at Zeus-“

“I know,” Mac eases, taking his hand and kissing his knuckles. “And I appreciate it,” he promises. “Why’d you invite them Sunday?”

“Olive branches are good,” Jasper says. “Maybe it’ll incline Russ to do the right thing if he knows how closely he’s being watched. Besides, I had a list of violations and I think we’re going to have a really good chat on Sunday by the firepit.”


End file.
